Whether you want to attract hummingbirds to your garden or bluebirds to a nesting box, this colorfully illustrated guide is brimming with information on attracting and understanding backyard birds. With detailed bird paintings by Jeffrey Domm and a foreword by René Laubach of the Massachusetts Audubon Society, the book profiles more than 135 species and their feeding and nesting habits, while also providing a guide to feeders and food, a chapter on various types of nesting boxes, creating a garden that attracts birds, deterring predators and thieves, and how to identify nests and eggs—as well as what to do with a fallen nestling.

"Whether undertaken for practical reasons (insect control) or pure enjoyment, attracting birds to one's own backyard is an activity that can involve the whole family. In this personable, informal guide, [Jan] Mahnken demonstrates both her knowledge and her love for birds as she introduces 135 North American species, discusses nesting cycles, and supplies tips on feeding and encouraging feathered friends to visit on a regular basis.... Loaded with plenty of black-and-white and color pictures ... [the book] will be great for new bird spotters."—Booklist